Hi I'm Kwana Jackson. A writer of Women's fiction and Young Adult, former fashion designer, wife and a mother of teen twins who has a love of knitting and a strange obsession with "reality" TV. Oh and I'm the owner of one feisty terrier named Jack who I write about often because he can't sue me or talk about me in therapy later!
Will Write for Money, Food or Gas! Or you can just send me an email to tell me how much you really love me.
What's Jack up to? Please be forewarned. Gross out here.
Grrr... Oh that Jack. That sweet little cutie Jack. What a face. How could he do me wrong? Well, he did. That little stinker did. In the worst, maybe not the worst, but pretty bad, possible way. What did he do? He tinkled in my tub. Da-da-da-daaaaa! I know, right! Good thing I looked before I ran a bath.
Now onto a much nicer subject.
Yesterday I had the honor of hanging with debut author and friend Leanna Renee Heiber as she traveled around my neck of the woods to sign stock on her first book:
The Strangely Beautiful Tale Of Miss Percy Parker
I'm so proud of Leanna and happy for her. I also got to see our friend and fellow writer Stacy and meet her sweet dad.
The staff in the bookstores were all so gracious when meeting us and happy to have Leanna sign. Turns out the afternoon was a joy.
A bittersweet goodbye today to Senator Edward M. Kennedy as the rain came down around The Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church where his funeral services were held today.
The youngest son of Rose and Joe Kennedy is no more and it seems that a very special political era is over. One filled with a true commitment of public service and looking out for those that are downtrodden or may be different from you. Of course we truly are so very the same.
In the "man is the blog boring when she's rambling category" I got a new pair of jeans at Old Navy in the $19.00 jean sale. WIN!
The best part is I was in a rush and had no time or patience to try the jeans on so I was fully prepared to to the return trip and was being extra careful with the receipt. But when I did try the jean on at home... surprise, perfect fit. Now if only they were two sizes smaller. Oh well, can't have every thing.
Sidebar: Are you as and creeped out by the mannequins, excuse me Super Modelquins, in these commercials as I am? I can't stand talking things who's lips don't move. Just sayin.
But at least this video is funny. Sort of. I guess? It's late. Eeee...
Best, Kwana
P.S. Hey I could have gotten these jeans. Thanks Angela James and twitter for this video.
This is Marc Chagall's Birthday done in 1915. I have it in a postcard stuck in my bedroom mirror among others. The colors are heavenly and perfectly balanced. The kiss and the present of a simple bouquet is divine. This seems to be the perfect welcome home from any mate. But what I love most here is the way the man is stretching, seeking, bending towards his wife. Yep, literally bending over backwards to get to her. Isn't love grand?
Yes I'm on break and yes, I'm here too. Told you I would be in and out and this bit I just had to put in though you might shrug your shoulders and think, eh. I still think it's blog worthy.. ish.
I just woke up from a dream and felt the need to share it here. Don't think I've shared my odd dreams here before. Hmm..
Well, there I was in small little crafty circle, but in said circle there was only 3 of us. Strange, a down number from my usual 6. One woman was a nubie to the group. A friend and blogger though not much of a commenter here and I don't think a crafter so you won't recognizer her and the other woman who was playing the part of my good friend, lots of you do know her, changed and was not herself but Gwyneth Paltrow. Yep, actress and I can cook chicken and potatoes, Gwyneth in a cool asymmetrical top and no apron and not spill on myself Gwyneth, from this post.
Isn't that strange?
Well, it gets stranger. We were quite dressed up. In a very tiny kitchen. Well a tiny nook of a large kitchen were everything has its place. And everything is French and perfect. Could that be the influence of reading Julie and Julia? Or could it be my long obsession with getting a Le Creuset pot? Shrug.
Here it gets weirder. We're not even knitting in this odd tiny, organized, pretty, French nook but we're sewing and by hand. Why? I don't know. They are small white projects that fit neatly in our hands. I do know that.
Then Gwyneth's husband walks in and it's not cutie Chris Martin. I know Weird again!
But some out of the 1960's lawyer looking dude. Here I blame the Mad Men influence.
Did I tell you we are all dressed in early 60's style but still could fit for now housewife comfort attire? I did, right.
So... the not Chris Martin hubby ask Gwyneth what style of sewing machine she has because his business associate wants to buy one for his wife and Gwyneth knows all the best things to get as she is PERFECT. Gwyneth rattles off a French named machine that I'm not sure exists but in my dream is top line and very expensive.
And as I'm sewing by hand I'm thinking 2 things.
1. That machine is a boatload of money. 2. It's a piece of crap. 3.Why the hell are we sewing by hand if she has it? 4. My Kenmore machine is just as good! 5. Why is Gwyneth supposedly so perfect?
Ok so a lot more than 2 things. But I don't say anything. I watch as not Chris Martin takes the info back to his associate after he kisses perfect Gwnyeth. Then I suddenly start to despise my Kenmore for not being French and sleek and perfect.
After that it's time for lunch and me and the other blogger/mom leave the tiny nook and follow Dream Gwyneth over to the hugest fridge ever (did I tell you it talks? dream weird). Well in the fridge everything has it's place (I see a theme here). And then Dream Gwyneth teaches us to make the perfect grilled cheese sandwiches with some sort of hunky bread, leafy lettuce and hard, briny, smelly cheese that you had to whack off with a big knife.
Blasphemy! Now you tell me how that is better than a diner grilled cheese with bacon which we all know is God's perfect food?
So themes? Thoughts? Care to analyze? Have at it.
My thoughts. Poor Gwyneth is a just a place holder for what I'm being a bit resentful of at the moment also maybe aspiring to. Order, french cooking, cute rocker/business type hubbies that think I do just everything perfectly and also the ability to fit in tiny little nooks. Yeah, that space was pretty small. Or maybe it was all just a dream and full of crap.
Best, Kwana
P.S. In defence of Gwyneth. I was hanging out on Goop.com her space on the web after writing this and we really do think alike in some things. She just finished the CLEAN which I'm reading and she have the cutest picture of Prince up there. Swoony. Besides that she likes Jay Z. So there.
What's Jack up to? Right now Jack's chilling on the couch. You know, in his usual spot. Nothing new there. I'm happy for that.
Things are a crazy right now over in Kwana land and I'm feeling the need for a break at the end of this very intense and non-rest filled summer. You know me, I try to keep it real, well as real as I can on a public blog, but in reality there is quite a thick filter on this here blog. Come on, I wouldn't want to scare polite company away with the constant stream in my head.
But as I was saying. I'm feeling the need for a break this week. I'll have a few pics and videos up. Feel free to comment if you like I'll be checking in on the Crackberry, And please enjoy these last days of summer. Share them with those you love.
Right now while every fiber of my being is saying NO, I'm going to do the opposite and say YES. Or at least try really hard. I know there is still so much more that's required of me. I hope today that you too have a spirit of YES in whatever you do.
What's Jack up to? Jack's been a sweetheart this weekend. It seems he's now getting used to his new food and finally coming to terms with it. Guess he gets it's the only game in town. So the fussiness has died down. Now lets hoop the food will actually make some type of difference for him.
My friend, Mel Francis author of Bite Mefrom over at Mel Frances Bitchin Fiction was kind enough to nominate me for a Kreativ Award. Took me more that a few seconds to figure by looking at the word what the award meant. I know the spelling of Creative is completely whacked but whateves. I'm still very thankful and saying aww shucks. Thanks, Mel!
Here are the rules for the award:
1. Thank the person who nominated you for this award. Done!
2. Copy the logo and place it on your blog. Done!
3. Link to the person who nominated you for this award. Done!
4. Name 7 things about yourself that people might find interesting. Eek! Hate that part
5. Nominate 7 Kreativ Bloggers. Ok.
6. Post links to the 7 blogs you nominate. Ok again.
7. Leave a comment on each of the blogs letting them know they have been nominated. Ok again. sorry to be a pain.
Now for my 7 semi interesting things-meh:
1.I have pretty ugly feet. No really they are but I now get pedi anyway and wear sandals. Life is too short I'm getting over it.
2.I Don't like okra. Never have, doubt I ever will. I don't care how you cook it. Sorry, it will still be slimy to me.
3.I love Wham. No that's not all the interesting or surprising with my love of 80's music, but it's all I got tonight. Have you all heard this Careless Whisper remake? So different. Yet the same.
4.I'm highly unorganized. (seems Mel and I share this) I'm a huge piler. It's a big problem for me. I always have bins and piles of papers around. Heaven for me would be a weekly cleaning service. I'm no domestic goddess. It's not in my DNA.
5.My mind works faster and better than my fingers. I wish I could write as well as I think. My thoughts never come out on paper like I'd like them too. Maybe one day.
6. I'm slightly (maybe not slightly) neurotic. Oh I just am.
7.I find this task very hard after having a blog for a while. Seems I've already let way too much out and am wondering of that's a bad thing.
Thanks to random.org we have a dreamy winner for my 600th post contest.
It's T.Anne from White Platonic Dreams!
Congrats on your win T.Anne. Please email me your info and I will get your gift certificate to you. You can check out T.Anne at her blog here.
Thanks so much to you all for sticking with me for so many ramblings please continue to hang with me, Jack and the family for more not so exciting, but really REAL adventures!
First off thanks so much for all your comments and congrats yesterday on my 600th post. If you didn't comment there is still a little time to go here comment and enter for your chance to win a20.00 gift card. So please follow and comment!
My head is still spinning today after my roller coaster rides and last night's TV watching did nothing to help. Project Runway is back! How awful is it for me that it's up against The Not so Real Housewives? Torture I tell ya!
So I watched Project Runway both the pre-show All Stars and the actual show.
I was thrilled to see Tim Gunn back. I've decided I need a Tim Gunn in my life as my writing coach. With him I'd never give up no matter how many rejections. I'd Make It Work despite all doubts.
I loved seeing the all stars back. Santino was a trip. I can't for the life of me figure out why Chris March was to tired or what was going on with Michael/Mychael Knight's name. Yeesh. Oh and Jeffery's stach just about cracked my up. Those zany all stars.
In the end I was totally disappointed with who the judges picked to win. Once again disappointing me and my girl Korto. I have a feeling there will be a lot of that this season. Look she still looks mad in this pic.
See they went for Daniel. Doesn't he look smug? I think they look these pics after the winner was chosen. Don't you? He's about to crack up here.
As for the Season premier I think they totally made the right decision and spared us a few episodes of general nuttiness in clothing by letting Ari go. That was no red carpet dress. Buh-bye.
I ended up taping The Real Housewives of ATL. Will save that hot mess for tonight. I'm spent.
9:21 Update: I watched. It was a hot mess. Kim doesn't know who King Tut is. And I can't sell a book. What is with the world? Sigh? I'm getting a blond Barbie wig maybe that will help.
Wow, according to the counter this is my 600th post. That can't be right. Can it?
There must be a few drafts thrown in there but I'm not going to go back and count so I'll just go by the reader and say go me. Yay!
Funny it being my 600th post and here I am posting this God awful pic of myself but there you have it. That's me. I keep it real. A far cry from yesterday's post.
Well here I am yesterday just a few minutes after getting off a roller coaster that I probably had no business getting on. It's The Bizarro at 6 Flags. That thing twisted, turned went upside down and, corkscrewed. I think it was the corkscrews that did me in. Don't they all?
So today I'm dog tired.
After that one I was a go go for this one. The DH was a trooper and went on all the coasters with the Dear Twins including El Turro. My hero.
I did get my nerve up and stomach back in order and got on Superman which I love before we went home. Scary. No bottom. The coaster tilts your body so it's like you're flying. Crazy and I loved it!
It was a great way to end the day with the four of us in terror together like we were meant to be. A family. LOL.
Today in honor of it being my 600th post I'm doing a give away for my friends and followers. So leave a comment saying what you like about Kwana Writes and make sure that you're a follower and you can win a 20.00 Amazon gift certificate. While you're at it please tell a friend. The drawing will close at midnight Friday.
Thanks so much to you all for hanging with me here. Me, Jack and my bad hair really appreciates it!
Happy Birthday to the PIC!!! This is my Partner In Crime, Megan and today is her birthday!
She reads all my words, listens to all my gripes, understands all my snark and has the best taste in fashion as you can clearly see here. Please join me in wishing her a very Happy Birthday!
Much Love!
Kwana
P.S.
She's also the author of this very fine romance. Have your read it? You should.
Go visit Megan at her blog here to send her more birthday wishes.
What's Jack up to? That sneaky little Jack did a diet revolt and swiped my ham and cheese sandwich yesterday when my back was turned. Guess we know how he's feeling about his food restriction.
A couple of weeks ago I was so happy to find out I was the winner of a really cool blog giveaway.
One of my favorite bloggers, Tonya over at Kotori was hanging her shingle and opening her own custom photo jewelry store. So to celebrate she held a giveaway for a piece of her beautiful jewelry and I won!
How happy was I to go to my unassuming little black mailbox the other day to find a lovely brown package waiting for me? Yay!
So happy that I had to open it right there in the car!
Watch me unwrap Tonya's pretty packaging.
All to find my own dear twins smiling back at me!
Thanks so much Tonya. I will wear this with pride.
Please go visit Kotori the shop here and Tonya at her wonderfully creative blog here.
What's Jack up to? Jack's had a busy weekend this weekend. He went from Scruffy to Fluffy after a surprise. Well, surprise to him, trip to the groomers.
On Thursday night I was in the basement having a grand time watching The Not So Real Housewives of Atlanta and hanging out on Twitter when Jack came to snuggle up next to me looking like a little scarecrow and smelling like, well, you don't want to know what he smelled like.
I knew this trip to the groomer was very much needed.
After his unhappy time on the high table
Jack was looking good and thrilled to be back in the car.
He was even more thrilled when he was rewarded with a new toy back at home!
Thanks to Beatrice.com's Ron Hogan for pointing me in the direction of this video.
In this age of screaming, fear and intimidation being used to supposedly get points across, check out 11 year old reporter Damon Weaver interviewing President Obama on the tough issue of education. He shows how to get it done with class.
I hope your weekend is going well and you are enjoying some quiet and thoughtful moments.
What's Jack up to? As I write this Jack is curled in a ball asleep on his bed looking like a bit of mop top. He needs a hair cut bad. The poor thing is still out of sorts with the new food. He's eating it but doesn't have his usual energy that he did with his old chow. Aww Jack perk up. You'll get though this soon.
Happy Friday!
This is a bit of a 2 parter.
There was this article in The New York Times about a trend in chicklit which saw it going towards more recession conscious kinds of stories as opposed to being about excess. Call it Recession lit? Ugh isn't tagging fiction annoying. I'm so feeling like it is now. The trend makes sense for some books but I'm not fond of blanket statements.
Sidebar: For me, chicklit, which I adore and write has never been something that was solely a lifestyle thing. For me it was more a voice thing and a certain kind of coming of age or life/realization story. The fact that it has constantly been tagged as city, latte, excess frivolous fiction always pricked at me a bit and completely oversimplified a very compelling and in many cases well written genre. One that deals with women growing and changing while being entertaining. No easy task.
But the reason I'm writing this now is as I was Tweeting and having a fab virtual party over The Real Housewives of Atlanta this occurred to me:
"Oh Dwight! The fact that this is the top show goes so against the recession chick lit talk. http://bit.ly/giZqQ"
Part 2.
Then I thought and tweeted (what a silly word):
"Of course I'm still into reading and writing excess lit. I like my books like I like my TV fun and an escape. Fun!"
I had a bit of hesitation typing that one. Crazy huh? But it's amazing how often I feel I have to apologize, wrong word, justify my taste in books and television. Lately, I seem to spend a lot of time explaining it and why I don't feel guilty for liking what I like or for taking the time to enjoy the things I enjoy. Dang, it's like I can't eat Popeye's fried chicken and read a fun book in mixed company without folks clutching their pearls!
Why is it we feel that so much has to be justified and why do we feel the need to judge others on things like art and entertainment? Does what you watch on TV give any clue to a PhD?
Best,
Kwana
P.S.
I also tweeted:
Best scene of the night: Nene giving Shree's friend the gas face. I can't stop laughing! #rhoa
The other night was my book/drinks/mom's night out night. The group is pretty much our knitting group, but on the road and at night.
And it was a gorgeous night as we gathered for drinks and food at, Half Moon, a restaurant on the Hudson with a great view of the river where you can see clear down to Manhattan on a good night.
So sorry for the blurry pic. The waiter had shaky hands.
A lot of you will recognize PVE in the center there.
As we discussed the book The Virgins Lover (which got a good review) then went on to family and other topics of night I got to thinking about how our group was about so much more than books or knitting, but about friendship and camaraderie in a way that was different from our immediate family. We talked and laughed well into the night and as table after table left, we just ordered refills on our coffee and kept the chatting going. Thanks for a fun night out Knisters!
For those of you playing the at home game our next book is Julie & Julia so it will be book and movie talk next month. Yay!
Do you have a little group that you meet up with for crafts or book talk?
The youngest son of Rose and Joe Kennedy is no more and it seems that a very special political era is over. One filled with a true commitment of public service and looking out for those that are downtrodden or may be 
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